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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 4042100" data-attributes="member: 16069">Saga of the Dragon Cult Interlude 1 Intrigue at the Standing Stones Scaled for level 3.Turn 81: To the Circle.At break neck speed to Tetnee, five hours or more in the saddle- their mounts spent, ready to collapse, they ride like the wind. The Gang are now armed and armoured, also fully healed, and buoyed by the news that Mischa will indeed survive with no permanent damage, although it was a close thing, the poison’s sting augmented by some foul magic.Thirty minutes before midnight and the sextet are on fresh mounts, courtesy of Thistle and the Tetknee Wise Woman, and at the expense of several of the local farmers, they plunge on through the sparse woods towards the Druid’s Circle.Twenty minutes later and they can see the lights; the Standing Stones are on the crest of the approaching hillock through a denser wooded glade, which is however blessed with an overgrown cart path, wide enough for two to ride abreast- Cas and Jim lead the way.It’s very dark, the moon provides irregular lattices of light, just enough to see by- but not far, unless you’re an Elf, or a Gnome.“Watch out.” Anya screams but it’s mostly too late.ZOOMWicked looking wooden darts arc out from the foliage either side of the track.One pierces Jim’s right leg, another thumps into his loaned mount’s side, the horse bucks and goes to race off.“Ho there.”The Ranger lays a calming hand on the horse’s neck, and in the same action dismounts, and with a whistle sends the beast cantering off to safety- he hefts his battleaxe and looses his shield in search of something to kill.Alas the others are not so adept.Two of the darts slam into the side of Bec’s horse, the beast rears and then charges forward, Bec thumps into a low tree branch, clings on for dear life as his mount races off into the dark and distance.CRUNCHThe Barbarian plummets, tries to affect a safe landing, but fails, and instead crunches into the hard-packed earth.BOOOOOOOOOOMThunder, followed by, before the echo has fully gone.CRA-CRA-CRASHHHHHHHLightning, which illuminates everything, for just an instant.Their attackers are half-a-dozen heavily armed and armoured Kobolds.“AaaaarghhhBlast.”Cas is hit twice in quick succession by darts, however the Paladin is calm enough to rein in his mount, the horse skitters and dances but the Paladin maintains control.Behind Ala and Newt struggle to keep their mounts from bolting, they can do nothing but cling on, hoping to calm the nervous beasts.Anya however, bringing up the rear, has no problems halting her mount, she kicks her heels into the horse’s flanks, clacks her tongue hard into the roof of her mouth, the horse backs away a little, out of the confusion.Out of the woods come the heavily armoured Kobolds, the remains of rotten black wings, now no more than dying stumps, jut through their armour.Two of the Kobolds dive towards Jim, who swings hard and thumps his battleaxe into one of the creatures, hard enough- easily, to kill a Kobold. The wounded assailant merely grins and steps in- stabbing madly with its short spear, leaving a gaping wound in the Rangers side- breaking ribs and tearing tendons. Jim almost folds.The second of the creatures shuffles sideways to find a way past Jim’s shield, not looking where its going it wanders into the path of Newt’s mount- which does the decent thing and kicks the menace in its back.Bec meanwhile levers himself up, only to realise there are three of them on him, he is, as ever, quick enough, his greatsword arcs out- smashes into the neck of one of the things, sending the Kobold sprawling.“Come on.” The Barbarian calls and gestures for the other two to try their luck.Then watches as the injured Kobold on the floor springs back to its feet, the Barbarian has questions.The other two creatures swing and stab, he’s forced to back away and yet emerges unscathed from the action.The last of the six Kobolds decides upon easier pray, charges out of the woods head down, attempting to bury his short spear in Cas’ horse.Cas is too quick, and a better horseman than that, he draws his longsword and spurs his mount- which leaps forward instinctively, although not trained for this kind of work, Cas charges.“PELOR.” The Paladin screams.And tramples and cuts the Kobold down, leaving the creature lying on the floor, Cas halts his charge immediately and quick manoeuvres his mount back around, the Kobold’s getting up.“Pelor?” Cas whispers.Which, it turns out, has an answer.“Smidgin.” A pair of Magic Missles arc out and into the fray, the first thumps into the rising Kobold, just picking itself up after Cas’ charge. The creature slumps forward- thumps into the dirt again, but this time doesn’t rise.The second smashes into the back of the Kobold recently wounded by Bec, the creature sinks to its knees and then falls face first into the dirt, two down.Bec and Cas glance thank you towards Anya.Meanwhile, in the midst of the action, Ala and Newt finally get their mounts settled, the pair canter a little away from the melee- Newt leaps down and guides his mount out of the way, fiddling his crossbow out as he heads over to Anya.Ala scrambles off her horse, which seizes the moment and gallops off to freedom.CRACKKKKKK-BOOOOM.Thunder and lightning again, the jagged fork strikes the ground somewhere nearby, once again illuminating the battlefield.“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiii.”A blood curdling scream is caught in the wind, the sound crashes over the fracas, causing some of the Gang to turn momentarily- it came from up the hill.It begins to rain.Fat droplets of water that thump into the ground with such force that they bounce up again, in seconds the track is a rivulet, slick and soft mud.“I said it was going to rain.” Newt winks at Anya, the Gnome abandons his mount and turns to face their attackers, crossbow loaded, looking for a likely target.At that moment, from out of the dark, two pulses of energy rush, both thump into Jim’s back- someone somewhere doesn’t like him. The Ranger is almost flattened, stumbles forward into his attackers swinging wildly, to no avail, and in the process is slashed horribly by the tip of a spear opening up a six inch gap on his neck and left shoulder. The second of Jim’s assailants back-peddles, straight into the clutches of Ala, who attempts to wrestle the creature to the ground. It isn’t pretty, the brief confrontation ends with the pair slipping in the mud and squelching into the mire, still locked in their tussle, neither of them, however, injured in any way.Bec is stalled also by the sudden inclement weather, and the conditions underfoot, a Kobold dashes in under his half-hearted swings and stabs the Barbarian in his right thigh.Cas quickly appraises the situation, spurs his horse forward, back into the fray, then leaps off in an attempt to help Ala, which only results in him falling on top of the struggling pile, and sending a wave of mud over those close by. Ala and the Kobold are winded by the Paladin’s attack, as is the Paladin- it’s a mess.Newt creeps closer in, crossbow in hand, settles his sights on one of the Kobolds facing Bec, he’s got a clear shot at the creatures back.FwongOr rather had a clear shot- at the last instant the Kobold dodges sideways, Newt’s crossbow bolt zooms past and slams into Bec’s chest, knocking the Barbarian backwards off-balance, and ruining his attack.The Barbarian growls, stares hard at the Gnome, who quickly attempts to hide his crossbow.“Smidgin.”Another pair of Magic Missiles streak out and thump into the Kobolds attacking Bec, who were following up on the Barbarian’s fumble, foiling both of their attempts to kill the Barbarian.Anya settles on her horse, pleased with her work, and…“Aaaaaaarghh”She’s hit square in the chest by a greenish glowing bolt which whizzes out of the wooded area to her right.“Aaaaaaarghh”The Acid arrow burns its way through the Wizard’s robes and clothing, fizzing and burning her skin, which also comes as a surprise to her mount, her horse is splashed by droplets of acid. The beast bolts, instantly shedding its rider.Anya thumps into the dirt, clutching at her burning clothes and screaming madly.Jim swings into action, smashes his battleaxe into the lone Kobold he’s facing, cutting the thing almost in two.Bec likewise finds his stride, lances his greatsword out, stabbing the first of his attackers through its gut, steps into the second, smashes the hilt of his weapon straight down into the fiend, splitting its skull and breaking its neck in the same instance.Back in the dirt Cas and Ala continue to wrestle the last of the creatures to a stand still, slipping and sliding they manage to pin the Kobold down.“Ask it what’s going on- what’s up there?”Cas points at the top of the hill, looking for Anya to do the translating into Draconic.“Anya. Anya? Where is she?”Jim steps in and wrenches the Paladin aside then slams his axe into the Kobolds face- killing it instantly.Which grabs Cas and Ala’s attention, the Holy duo step back, somewhat aghast.“JIM!” Cas screams at the Ranger.“Get up Paladin”, Jim spits at Cas, “out of the dirt.”“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii”Again the scream comes carried on the wind.CRACKKKKKK-BOOOOM.Lightning strikes again, this time less than thirty feet away from the Gang, a tree ignites, flames leap into the air, fizzle and crackle soaked by the torrential rain.“JIM!” Cas screams again, attempts to grasp the Ranger’s legs and misses, Jim stalks off up the hill and into the dark.“Aaaargghhhh.” Anya screams again, still writhing on the floor, Cas and Ala are quickly over to the Wizard, the acid has burnt itself out, Ala presses her healing touch into service and in seconds Anya’s blistered skin is whole again, and there’s quite a lot of it on display, Cas quickly looks away, then back again, then away, then...  “The Elf. Assassin.” Anya points into the vegetation, the direction from which the Acid Arrow spell came, and shivers.Cas looks but can see nothing.“There’s a horse.” Newt shouts and points, and sure enough a figure on a horse is seen, and heard, just over the rolling thunder and plash of the rain, their attacker it seems is leaving, and at speed.“COME ON.” Jim screams back at the Gang, then trudges off, further up the hill, into the muck, black and rain.Next Turn: Bring on the Noise.</blockquote>

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